All of Us Fit in Our Places

"I understand," she said thoughtfully. "Now, tell me the bad news."

"There isn't any, not really."

Monica spared her an oblique look. "Not really."

"Okay, okay. This bit you should really be hearing from Charles, but in for a penny."

She took a deep breath; subtlety had never been her strong point.

"Charles doesn't want to be Master. Giles is ..." she searched for a diplomatic word, "unsuitable. Byron wants to follow Charles so that leaves -"

"Anastacia," Monica finished for her. "Go on."

Rosemary tried to read whether this was going well or badly and decided she couldn't tell. She pressed on.

"Charles and Byron would each get a 20% stake, I get 30% by virtue of the land purchase and Stacia 30%. I'm Chairman, she's Chief Exec."

"Where do they get the funds to buy their stake?"

"You cede the estate to them."

"I do, do I?" Monica smiled. "And Giles?"

"Giles will have a choice. He can stay and work for the limited company or he can take a one off payment of a hundred thousand pounds and go wherever he likes. As long as it's away from Dearborn."

Monica laughed. "You're audacious, I'll give you that. What's my security?"

"We can build that in. Permanent right of residence or some such. Your family don't want rid of you."

"That's good to hear but I don't intend to return. I'm where I belong."

Rosemary could hardly believe her ears.

"Just like that?"

"I'm not getting any younger and I'm tired. Giles was only ever my choice out of spite. It'll do Anastacia good. She's bright enough but, like Dearborn, she's been looking for a purpose.

Mike Johnson will sell the land I'm fairly sure. He's in much the same boat, I imagine, so will appreciate the cash.

Congratulations young lady, you're about to go into business."

***

Rosemary let herself in the back door and paused briefly to inhale the unmistakeable aroma of home.

Children and laundry and cooking and all the other myriad scents of domesticity. David was doing something awesome in the kitchen as usual and her stomach rumbled.

She could pick out his cologne and Jen's perfume and she could appreciate what Em meant when she talked about the house smelling right.

Rosemary hung up her coat and entered the kitchen proper to find the family at the table. Jason shrieked and stretched out his arms to her.

"Mummy!"

Jen picked up their son and they made a group hug. He clung to her, and she buried her nose in his hair, delighting in the little boy smell of him.

"Hiya, kiddo. Miss me?"

"Yes!"

"Me too," murmured Jen, kissing her on the lips.

They broke and Rosemary settled herself into a chair with Jason on her lap. She was home, with her family around her, and a not-so-little piece of her wished she would never have to leave them again.

"How was America, Aunty Rosemary?" asked Josh, eager for news of the country of NCIS & Mission Impossible.

"Hot, mainly, just like your Aunt Anna said it was."

"Don't keep us in suspense, dear," said Em and Rosemary chuckled.

"She went for it!"

Reactions were exactly as expected. Em rolled her eyes and shook her head. David smiled lazily, and Jen grabbed her hand, eyes shining.

"You're a marvel!"

"I have to hand it to you," Em remarked, "that's quite a coup, but how did you swing it?"

"She wants rid."

Rosemary shook her head wonderingly and then her expression firmed.

"This is a gamble, but it's worth taking because we don't need to involve the banks."

"Charles and Anna should be here any minute. I'll get some champagne."

David rose from the table and ambled off to the store.

Em and Jen bustled to arrange six flutes on the table and Rosemary fidgeted with excitement. Finally unable to sit still, she handed Jason off to Jen and stood up.

When finally, the knock at the door came, David eased the cork from the bottle, and set about pouring the wine while Jen went to the front door.

The noise of greetings and coats being hung, filtered in from the hall. Rosemary jittered from foot to foot until Em put an arm round her shoulders to steady her.

Charles appeared first and his gaze fell on the flutes. His eyes found Rosemary and she nodded.

Something changed in his face and the room was shocked to silence as he quickly strode to her and, clasping her by the shoulders, kissed her on the forehead.

He released her and she stepped back.

Anna went to him, and they held each other for a long minute while everyone else tried not to stare.

At last, he raised his head and said quietly, "Thank you."

Normality resumed. David spooned out stroganoff and sautéed potatoes, and people stood or sat, or perched and conversation rose and fell, Charles to David to Anna to Em to Tilly, the gathering doing its thing, the coming together and breaking apart.

Rosemary leaned back in her chair with Jason on her knee and holding Jen's hand where it rested on her shoulder. She sipped her champagne and reflected on the ecstatic feeling of belonging.

***

Couples and more-so

September

The nights were drawing in and the weather had turned cold. The fire burned merrily in the grate, and it was cosy in the living room at Eleanor's grace and favour.

She loved the independence that the little cottage gave her. She could still cycle into the village to see her mother every day, but here felt like the very first steps to a life of her own.

The wreckage of the pizza sat on the table in front of them along with one empty bottle of red wine. Perry was busy topping up Eleanor's glass from a second one as they watched John Rambo best Sherriff Will Teasle for the umpteenth time.

"Y'see, one of the things that's great about this one is the colour palette," Eleanor remarked.

"Not Stallone's muscles?" he teased.

"Ugh! More your type than mine!"

Perry looked speculatively at the screen. He wasn't so much for muscle men either.

"You were saying? The colour something?"

"Palette. The range of colours."

"What about them?"

She gestured with her pizza. "It's washed out. All blues and greys. You watch a Bond film, and the colours are so bright they'll scorch your retinas. And another thing, the sun isn't shining all the time. It's wet and cold and looks miserable. It's so refreshing!"

Perry laughed. "You really care about that sort of thing?"

"Yes!" she retorted indignantly. "It matters!"

He snorted and she elbowed him in the ribs, losing her balance and falling against him in the process. When she didn't attempt to sit up, he looked at the top of her head and leaned forward to gently inhale the delicate aroma of her hair.

"What are you doing now, you old perv?"

"Sniffing your hair."

"You saying I need a shower?"

Wine loosened his tongue. "No, nothing like that. I was just thinking how lovely you smell."

She leaned away and looked back at him for a long moment, then relaxed to lean against him again.

Slowly, tentatively, he put his hand on her shoulder. The bare skin, firm and smooth under his hand.

Eleanor started and looked at his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not sure."

"If you're not sure then you take your hand off me."

"Don't say that."

She turned to him and searched his face for the answer she needed.

Her cool grey eyes were an ocean he thought he might drown in. Then the corner of her mouth twitched upward in the faintest hint of a smile.

Perry stared at her as she slowly tilted her face up to his and closed her eyes. His heart thumped in his chest, and he bent to kiss her lightly on the lips.

"There," she murmured, "the sky didn't fall in. Do you think you might do that again?"

"I haven't been with a girl for real since I was a teenager," he whispered.

"Well, you're with one now."

***

Stacia blew into the laundry room, slamming the door behind her.

"Somebody's not a happy girl!"

She whirled and found Judy standing behind the door with an armful of sheets. She put her hand to her forehead.

"Ach, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Judy smiled. "You'd never do that."

Their eyes met and abruptly Stacia grabbed the sheets and dumped them on a shelf.

"Hey! I've just ironed those!"

"Fuck the sheets. Come here."

"I'm a housekeeper not your bloody servant!"

"I said 'come here'."

"And what about inappropriate relationships between owners and employees?"

Stacia put her hand on Judy's shoulder and drew them together. She felt the other woman's hands on her waist.

Stacia closed her eyes and inhaled Judy's special combination of clean cotton and subtle floral perfume.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Judy said, looking down.

"Doing what?"

"This," she sighed, lifting her head and kissing Stacia softly on the lips.

Stacia's hand found its way into the hair at the nape of the other woman's neck, her fingers gently swirling the soft curls.

The tip of Judy's tongue probed her lips and with a moan she allowed it in. The sound aroused Judy as almost nothing else could and she brought her hand up to cup Stacia's ample breast, gently caressing it with her thumb.

Stacia's other hand made its way south to Judy's rump, kneading and squeezing the firm flesh.

Gradually she rucked the fabric up until she was able to pass her hand under it and explore the warm skin between Judy's stocking top and her knickers.

Judy was breathing harder now, and she pulled at Stacia's tee shirt, lifting it to expose her lacy brassiere. The breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed Stacia's dark areolae, and she bent to kiss the skin above the bra line.

Stacia stepped back to pull off her top and undo her bra. Judy swallowed as she caught sight of Stacia's magnificent breasts, jutting from her chest, big and full without a hint of sag. She cupped them, marvelling at their soft weight.

"God, I love your tits," she murmured as she bent to take a fat nipple between her lips, sucking and rolling it with her tongue.

Stacia gasped and put a hand on the back of Judy's head. "Oh fuck!"

In reply, Judy's hand made its way on to Stacia's inner thigh, her fingernails stroking and teasing.

"Oh, fucking fuck!"

"That finishing school couldn't wash that gutter language off your tongue."

Judy looked at Stacia coyly, her eyes heavy with lust. She lifted the hem of her skirt and slid a finger under the gusset of her knickers, bringing it out and holding it up glistening in front of Stacia.

Stacia took it in her mouth, revelling in its earthy scent. Then she sank to her knees and roughly pulled Judy's knickers aside, exposing her clean shaven mound.

"Oh! You're all lovely and smooth!"

Judy giggled. "I've had it done regularly since you did that time. It makes me think of you when I'm playing with myself."

Stacia looked up to find the other woman regarding her with an expression that was equal parts love, affection, and unbridled passion.

Abruptly she came to her feet and grabbed her tee shirt. Catching Judy's disappointed look, she grinned.

"I'm not risking Mrs Cane finding us with my head between your legs! My room, now!"

"Don't forget your bra!"

"Or your knickers!"

Resisting the urge to bury her nose in the undergarments, Stacia stuffed them into a pocket, and they exited the laundry room with as much decorum as they could muster.

Judy was almost preternaturally aware of the sway of Stacia's unconfined bust: little explosions of desire going off in her head, derailing her thoughts.

For her part Stacia could feel the imprint of the knickers in her pocket which meant that under her skirt Judy was naked and wet. She shook her head which brought a quick snort of laughter from the other woman. They looked at each other with bright eyes.

"You take the lift; I'll go up the stairs," Judy whispered. "I'll not be able to keep my hands off you otherwise."

Stacia nodded and they parted.

Standing in the shadows across the great hall, Valerie Cane shook her head. Who did those girls think they were fooling? Her thoughts turned briefly to Kim and Wayne and a little shiver of pleasure and delight went through her. Everyone deserved a little happiness.

Depositing the laundry in the first floor alcove, Judy knocked softly on Stacia's bedroom door before letting herself in and locking it behind her. Stacia watched her from the bed where she lay naked under a sheet, her nipples tenting the fabric.

"Strip," Stacia ordered. "Slowly."

Judy unpinned her copper hair, and it fell in waves on to her shoulders and beyond. She unpicked the buttons on her blouse, looking up at Stacia from under her lashes. Stacia could feel her lubrication start to ooze between her legs.

The blouse was discarded, and Judy's hands went behind to unfasten her skirt. She turned away from Stacia and let it fall to the floor. Now she was clad only in bra, stockings, and suspenders.

She unclipped her bra then bent to pick up her clothes. She opened her legs to expose her sex to Stacia's eager eyes, and then looked over her shoulder to see the effect on her lover.

Stacia was almost beside herself, torn between the exquisite torture of only being able to look and the expectation of their twined bodies.

"You said something about having your head between my legs?" Judy said, coyly.

Stacia scrambled from the bed and knelt behind her, diving her face into the glistening pink flesh, licking and kissing as if she were starving. Judy reached out to the chair in front of the dressing table to steady herself.

Stacia pushed her tongue as far inside Judy as she could and then slowly withdrew it, exploring the slick texture of her inner flesh as she did so. Judy's arousal invaded her nostrils and she determined to make her come as quickly as possible, sucking her clit between her lips, and lashing it with her tongue.

Judy uttered a primal groan and put a hand behind her to pull Stacia harder against her and her legs shook with her climax. Her juices gushed from her opening and Stacia drank them greedily.

When Judy relaxed, Stacia stood up and pulled her into an embrace, their naked breasts and stiff nipples rubbing against each other. Judy could taste herself on her lover's mouth and desperately wanted to return the favour.

"Sit on my face," she begged, pulling Stacia towards the bed.

Stacia giggled and pushed Judy on to bed where she wriggled into a comfortable position before opening her arms.

Carefully she straddled Judy's head and then lowered her dripping cunt on to the waiting woman's mouth. Judy arched her neck to run her tongue between Stacia's sex lips and hot liquid ran into her mouth.

She moaned and sucked each swollen lip in turn, running her tongue over the silky texture while she ran her hands from Stacia's thighs to her back.

Her lover panted as she felt her own orgasm gathering inside her. Reaching up, she pinched her nipples lightly, sending pulses shooting through her and bringing her climax suddenly much closer.

Judy's agile tongue darted over her pleasure centres and lapped from bottom to top through her slit.

Stacia's juices were liberally coating Judy's face, and she closed her eyes and attempted to anoint herself with as much as she could.

Sensing the movement, Stacia looked down and giggled. "Oh, you want it, do you?"

"Oh God, yes. Rub your pussy on my face," Judy panted.

Taking hold of the headboard to steady herself, Stacia carefully moved her sex over her lover's face until it glistened like some erotic face mask.

"That's so sexy!" Stacia cried. "That's even hotter than fucking you with the strap-on."

"Do you still have it?" Judy gasped.

"Yes, it's in the top drawer of the bureau."

"Then, get it darling. I want you to fuck me hard."

"But I haven't come yet!" Stacia said, pouting and mock-petulant.

In reply Judy grasped her and pulled her down again and lashed her clit mercilessly until Stacia suddenly had to grab a pillow to muffle her screams while tidal waves of pleasure pounded her to jelly.

Suddenly Judy reached up and pinched her nipples, sending electric aftershocks through her and she fell to the side gasping for breath.

She felt Judy get off the bed and pad across the floor, followed by the sound of a drawer opening. Moments later she opened her eyes to find the other woman lying alongside her. They kissed tenderly.

"Your face is a picture! You'll need a shower. Say, want me to fuck you in the shower?"

"No, I want to watch us in the mirror."

Moments later Judy knelt at the end of the bed, sideways on to the long mirror on top of the chest of drawers. Behind her, the strap-on jutted obscenely from Stacia's groin as she applied some lube. Judy probably didn't need any, but it was best to be sure.

She positioned the dildo at Judy's opening and as she arched her back, the head slipped inside. Stacia thought that the sight of Judy's sex lips stretching to accommodate the toy was nothing short of sensational but remembering that her lover had requested to be fucked hard, she carried on inserting the rubber phallus deeper and deeper, earning a gasp from her partner.

"Too much?" she asked, attentive to her lover's pleasure.

"No! Again!"

In very short order, they were living their own private sex show. Stacia's breasts bouncing as she rammed the artificial cock into Judy's cunt. The strap-on's clit tickler was pushing Stacia's own orgasm and she tried to pace it so that they would climax together, but Judy came first, gasping her ecstasy into the sheets. Stacia carried on thrusting into her until her own orgasm arrived soon after.

***

November

David watched Jen get undressed and heaved a deep sigh. She looked over at him.

"What?"

"I don't think I'll ever tire of you, Jennifer Piper."

She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Still think I'm sexy?"

"I'm glad I don't have to choose between you."

"We think we get a pretty good deal too."

"So, you talk about me?"

"Not as much as you think we do!" she laughed, "and not as much as Em and Rosie talk about us."

"Yeah, that's weird, those two. At that meeting with Ros at Em's house I thought they were going to come to blows!"

"Oh yes! I had to talk them down while Rosie made me all jumbled up inside."

"I remember seeing you in the hall holding hands and thinking that it was a bit odd."

"You have no idea! She was leading me a merry dance."

He chuckled. "And look where we are now!"

She looked at him under her eyelashes.

"Where we are now, David, is in bed together."

David felt his cock stir. Jen stripped off her camisole and stood naked, one hand cocked on her hip. Her eyes were big and dark in the half light of the bedroom.

His eyes were drawn to the neat vee of her pubic hair above her mons.

She followed the direction of his gaze and ran her hand from her breast, down the length of her body, and into the junction of her thighs. She held that hand out towards him and he took in the aroma of her arousal. She rested her fingers on his lips and he ran his tongue over them.

"I'd like some more of that," he murmured.

She climbed on the bed and made her way up to straddle his head. He ran his tongue over the smooth skin and then dipped it in between her folds. Jen sighed. She adored cunnilingus, both giving and especially receiving.

David and Rosie were so different in the way they went about things. Rosie was more aggressive than David, but David could make her wait until she was virtually begging him to let her climax and then he would make her see stars.

And, of course, once she was properly wet, he would fuck her to further heights. Or she might ride him, dish out a little punishment by making him beg!

Then she might make her way to Rosie, to 69 with her, shuddering with lust as her wife delved her tongue into the erotic cocktail inside her, all while burying her face in her lover's slick folds, teasing and sucking the sensitive flesh.